High-protein dinners that make high-protein lunchesHi, everyone! Stepping into Emily’s shoes today. It’s a delight to be here. How on earth is it August? When I was a kid, summer seemed to last forever. I’d spend hours face down in a clover patch, happily imagining an entire world of tiny people living underneath a canopy of heart-shaped leaves. Now that I am a grown-up, summer blows by in a blink. I was just racing to sign my kids up for summer camp, and now I’m thinking about what to pack for school lunches, one of my least favorite things to do. But done it must be. So I spent some time scrolling through New York Times Cooking in search of some high-protein lunch ideas for my kids. In that spirit, here are a handful of easy, protein-rich weeknight dinners whose leftovers pack up beautifully in a lunchbox.
1. Cowboy CaviarI love making this recipe, which I adapted from Helen Corbitt, to eat alongside grilled chicken for a late summer dinner, and to pack as leftovers into containers for school or work lunches. I pack extra-thick corn chips, like Fritos Scoops, for dipping into this satisfying corn and bean salad. (You can also just mix the chips right in like Hetty Lui McKinnon does in her brilliant salad. Croutons are so ’87.)
2. Baked Chicken MeatballsMy family has never met a meatball they didn’t like, and these tender rounds from Lidey Heuck are no exception. I especially like them because they’re baked, which means no splattery mess on the stovetop. For dinner, I serve them with rice, steamed broccoli and avocado. For lunch, I pack them into a heated thermos and toss in a few ketchup packets left behind from takeout.
3. Slow Cooker Chickpea Stew With Lemon and CoconutLike a sunny autumn day, this five-ingredient vegetarian stew from Ali Slagle manages to be both hearty and bright. It’s a great fix-it-and-forget-it dinner for a busy weeknight and an excellent, not-sad lunch the next day.
4. Coconut Red Curry With TofuThis 30-minute tofu dish is one of my all-time Melissa Clark favorites. The tofu absorbs the vibrant flavors of the curry, and you can add pretty much any vegetable you like, so it’s a great clean-out-the-crisper meal. Full disclosure: I double the sauce.
5. Easy BurritosWhen I had to leave town for a long stretch in December, I made and froze 12 of these Ali Slagle burritos for my family. My family not only survived, they thrived. I’ve also tucked a hot, halved burrito into a heated thermos for lunch with happy results. Thanks for reading and cooking with me. If you like the work we do at New York Times Cooking, please subscribe! (Or give a subscription as a gift!) You can follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest. Previous newsletters are archived here. Reach out to my colleagues at cookingcare@nytimes.com if you have any questions about your account. View all recipes in your weekly plan.
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